Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-19

am rather tired of his words of wisdom.
II men require such an amount of en-
! couragement. they won't get it from me,
that is all And Sine began angrily
brushing out htS hair and twisting it up
| for the night.
Il wish you were not Obliged to so
home tomorrow, hazarded Mrs. Mac
lean, after a pause.
ITO tell the truth. think that it is
quite as well / am obliged" returned
Jessie. candidly, for the Standishes are
| to remain some time longer in this neigh
borhood, and the fact is. am
afraid Of Cecil proposing" she added,
with a sudden burst of confidence.
Afraid! Why just now you wanted
recipe for bringing Lien To the point.
What an incomprehensible. inconsistent
being you are.''
.'Oh. YOU don't understand ex-
claimed Jessie, as she gave an impatient
tug to her hair. Il want Claud to pro-
pose, because--well. rather like him;
besides. it would prevent his cousin do
ing SC"
If that is ALL" responded Dora.
naively. why not refuse Cecil? l should
let him propose, and have done with it.
1t would he far less trouble"
| And not at all honorable" retorted
Miss Vernon. You have no right to let
a man propose. unless you meant to ac-
cept him
THAT is all very well, hut If a man
insists upon proposing. what are you TO
do: You cant accept him merely for
the sake of getting rid of him " an
honorable manner"
Jessie made no response, but presently
said. with a certain hesitation,
| ITO tell you the truth. Dora-only,
pray keep this s:rictly to yourself-I am
i can't tell why-1 am sure you will
say it very unlike me, but am afraid
! OF Cecil Standish. l always have been
ever since l knew him. He is hand
some, l own, and at times contrives TO
make cne fancy one likes him, but it was
always a relief to me when he left the
room. Somehow distrust him, and
well. shouldn't like to offend him"
| Dora affected to yawn to hide smile.
Jessie's unusual display of honorable feel
ings was explained.
| Perhaps you are right, and it is as
well that you are going home to-mor-
row." she said. "Well, suppose we
may consider this little romance finished.
Coed gracious. hear George coming up;
how late it is!' she added. glancing at
the little timepiece on the mantelshelf.
Good night, Jessie! pleasant dreams!'
and she fitted off to her room.
II Mrs. Maclean thought she had heard
the last of her friends romance she was
very much mistaken. We even take
leave TO doubt if she wished to have heard
the last of it. Like all women who have
no story of their own. she was immensely
interested in other peoples; and was not
this her own familiar friends:
IA letter from jessie" she exclaimed
one morning about month later. as she
turncI over her bundle Of correspondence
on the breakfast table. "What do YOU
think" she cried, looking up suddenly q
few minutes later. .'Claud Standish has
actually proposed at last; but he really
is funny fellow"
why. what has he done?" said
George. who was comfortably warming
his lack at the fire.
why. dea-. it is not what he has
done, but the way he has done it. which
is SO odd. 1t appears that he met Jessie's
father at a country house where both
were staying. and asked his consent &c
propose to her. So du.l!" pouted the
little woman. .kU1T&
..And she accepted him!"
"Oh, yes; and seems most delightfully."-
happy and pleased. She expects him
down next month, he can't get away be
fore-I dom think much of him as 8
ioyer-and then everything is to be set
tied"
What a mercy it isn't Cecil" oh
served Maclean. Il was terribly afrait
at one time that Miss Jessie would take {
fancy to him.
.Oh, George, l told you that there wa,
no danger
YES, dear; but there are more thing
in heaven and earth than ever enteret
into your pretty little head to imagine. :
quoth her husband, holding up her fac
and kissing it. However, all's vel
that ends WELL"
Three weeks had elapsed since Dor:
had written to congratulate Jessie. bu
never another line had she received from
her. Dora was seriously uneasy. Sh
: felt that something had gone wrong. bu
was sure if she mentioned her vagu
fears to George that he would only laugl
at her. So she said nothing. and nigh
have persisted in her silence yet longe
! had not her husband CHANGED one after
: noon to fetch the letters himself from tn
postoffice. There was one for Dora, an
/! as George gave it to her. and she recog
nized the handwriting. she was surprise'
into saying. "Oh! what relief! 1t
from Jessie
). "What does she say:" incurred Mac
L lean, indifferently.
Dora gave no answer. She was eagerl
: devouring the contents of the long de
Q sired letter.
..Well:' came interrogatively fror
r George. after while. Il suppose
though, we shall hear something abou
her this evening"
r Hear about Jessie! From whom:"
Y "From Gland Standish. met him
J. the town this afternoon. He is stayin
:, at the hotel tonight on his way hac
e from his aunt's. asked him to dinner
:. You have something for us, presume:
o You asked Claud to dine here Il
night" said Dora, in amazement.
"Yes: what is there strange in that!
= Mrs. Maclean looked helplessly at I'll
l. letter lying open in her lap. as if 81
hoped to draw an inspiration from it.
a; George grew inpatient
lie Come. let us see what Jessie says,
of and he made movement as If to pic
t up the letter. Dora quickly covered
II with both hands.
il No, indeed. George! it is only mea